Dispensing closure



June 10, 1958 w. 1.. KIMBALL DISPENSING CLOSURE Fi-led Jan. 26, 1955' IN VEN TOR. Mum/w z. mam/m BY United States Patent DISPENSING CLOSURE William L. Kimball, Rego Park, N. Y., assignor to Shulton, Inc., Clifton, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 26, 1955, Serial No. 484,203

13 Claims. (Cl. 222-502) The present invention relates to dispensing apparatus and, more particularly, to a closure provided with a valve for controlling the fiow of material adapted to be dispensed from a container having an outlet to which the closure is attached.

Heretofore, many forms of dispensing closures have been proposed but none was ever completely satisfactory for one or more reasons. The principal objections have been that such closures were too difficult or expensive to manufacture, were faulty in operation, were insufficiently rugged to withstand the number of operations thereof required to use up the contents of the container, were so arranged that one or more parts could be lost, and Were so constructed that they lacked consumer appeal.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing closure which overcomes the fore going difficulties and objections.

Another object is to provide such a closure that is constructed of only two parts which cannot become separated in the normal use of the closure.

Another object is to provide such a closure having parts which can be readily molded, whereby the closures can be manufactured in large quantity in a simple and economical manner.

A further object is to provide such a closure which is durable in construction but yet is pleasing in appearance.

Other and further objects will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice. 1'

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen'for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in-theaccompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification, wherein: a

Fig. l is a top plan view of a container having a dispensing closure, in accordance with the present invention, attached thereto. i

Fig. 2 isan "enlarged sectional view taken along the line 22 on Fig. l. I

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the cap member of the closure shown in inverted position.

Fig.- 4 is a top perspective .view of the body member of the closure. i

Fig. 5 is a top view of the closure partly in elevation and partly in section with the cap member in a position to close the dispensing opening of the closure.

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the closure with the cap in the same position shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a bottom view of the closure with the cap in a position to eifect unclosing of the dispensing opening.

Referring to the drawing in detail and, more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4 thereof, a package is shown which comprises a container 10 adapted to confine a flowable material and having an outlet 11, and a dispensing closure 12 attached to the outlet of the container. The closure 2,838,214 Patented June 10, 1958 "ice tate insertion of the tubular section 16 into the outlet 11 of the container and is provided with a horizontal flange 17 adjacent its upper end for engaging the rim of the container outlet to properly position the body member-14 on the container. An annular groove18 is formed above the flange 17 for rotatably mounting and retaining the cap member 15 on the body member in the manner about to be described.

The cap member 15 comprises .a cover portion 19 formed with a central dispensing opening 20 and an annular wall 21 depending from the cover portion formed with an interior flange 22, or its equivalent, which extends into the groove 18, whereby the cap member is rotatably retained on the body member (Fig. 2).

As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, the upper end of the body member 14 has a plurality of elements 24 hinged at circumferentially spaced points about the interior wall thereof, which elements are positioned adjacent the un derside of the cover portion 19 of the cap member and are constructed and arranged in a manner whereby the free ends of the elements cooperate with each other to close and unclose the dispensing opening 20.

In the illustrative embodiment, the body and cap members are shown as molded of a yieldable plastic material, such as natural or synthetic rubber, polyethylene, vinyl chloride type plastics, polychlorotrifiuoroethylene and polytetrafiuoroethylene compounds or any other synthetic plastics having physical properties similar to the foregoing materials. Such material enables the lower end of the body member section 16 to act as a seating plug for the outlet, enables the flange 22 of the cap member to be sprung into its groove 18, and brings about other advantages described herein.

2 By constructing the body member of a yieldable plastic, the elements 24 may be hinged to the interior of the body member wall by forming the same integral therewith. More specifically, the elements 24, as shown in Fig. 4, are generally flat and comprise a relatively thin, bendable hinge section 25 connecting the same with the body member wall, an outer side 26 serving as a cam surface, as about to be described, which for such purpose may be arcuate, and a pair of inner sides 27 and 28 meeting at an angle. The sum of the angles of all of the elements is 360. For example, when the elements are spaced equidistantly and three elements are utilized, the sides 27 and 2% meet at an angle of whereby the three elements can be fitted together to close the opening, as described hereinafter. Preferably, the elements 24 are biased in an opening unclosing position, as shown in Fig. 4.

In order to effect movement of the elements 24 to close the opening 20, the underside ofthe cover portion 19 of the cap member is provided With a set of spaced projections 29, each of which engages a cam surface 26 of the elements 24 to swing the elements inwardly under the opening 20 upon rotation of the cap member in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2.

In order to more fully unclose the opening and thus assist the spring action of the hinge section 25 and retain the elements 24 in unclosing position, a second set of spaced projections 30 is provided. These projections-are positioned to engage ,the hinge sections. 25 at 'the' side adjacent the sides 28 of the element just prior to c'o'm pletion of rotation of the cap member ina counter-clock wise direction, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2.

Preferably, the elements 24 are supported on the underside thereof to prevent distortion and deflection out of their horizontal path when operated by the projections.

This is accomplished by providing the interior of the body member with a spider 31. As shown herein, the spider has a central ring 32 formed with an opening 33, which is in alignment with the opening 20, and has legs 34 connecting the ring to the interior wall of the body member. In this manner the elements are slidably confined between the cover portion and the spider (Fig. 2), and the spider does not obstruct the opening 20.

The operation of the valve-like structure just described will be best understood with reference to Figs. 5 and 7. In Figs. 5 and 6, the cap member is shown as having been rotated to fully close the opening 20 with the projections 29 engaging the cam surfaces 26 to urge the elements 24 inwardly, whereby the sides 27 engage sides 28 of adjacent elements and the apexes at which the sides 27 and 28 meet all merge at a central point within the opening 20 to form a barrier between the openings 20 and 33. In Fig. 7, the cap member is shown as having been rotated to unclose the opening 20 with the projections 30 engaging the hinge sections 25 adjacent the sides 28 to urge the elements 24 outwardly, whereby the ele ments 24 are disposed to the side of the openings 26 and 33 and material can be dispensed through these openings. If desired, the cap member can be manipulated to place the elements in any selected intermediate position to control the rate at which material is dispensed.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the present invention provides a simple, practical and economical dispensing closure and valve for the same, which closure is sufficiently rugged to withstand the usage to which it may be subjected but yet is pleasing and attractive in appearance.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the parts herein, without depart ing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matters are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A valve for a dispensing closure opening comprising a tubular body, a plurality of elements projecting inwardly from and hinged to an inner surface of said body at circumferentially spaced points about the closure opening, said elements having tip sections constructed and arranged to cooperate with each other to effect closing and unclosing of the opening, a cap member rotatably mounted in a horizontal plane on said body above said elements, and depending means on said cap member for engaging each of said elements to effect operation thereof upon rotative movement of said member.

2. A valve according to claim 1, wherein said tip sections are angular in shape.

3. A valve according to claim 1, wherein said elements are biased to assume one of their positions.

4. A valve according to claim 1, wherein said elements are biased to assume their opened position.

5. A valve according to claim 1, wherein said depend ing means include a projection for moving each of said elements into their closed position.

6. A valve according to claim 1, wherein said depending means include a projection for retaining each of said elements in their opened position.

7. A valve according to claim 1, wherein said elements are biased to assume their opened position, and said depending means include a projection for retaining each of said elements in their opened position and include a projection for moving each of said elements into their closed position.

8. A dispensing closure comprising a body member adapted for attachment at one end to a container outlet and having a tubular wall, and a cap member rotatably attached to the other end of said body member and having a cover portion formed with a dispensing opening and having an annular wall depending from said cover portion, one of said members having a plurality of elements hinged at circumferentially spaced points about the interior of its wall, said elements being positioned adjacent the underside of said cover portion and being constructed and arranged to cooperate with each other to effect closing and unclosing of said opening, and the other of said members having means positioned for engaging each of said elements to effect operation thereof upon rotation of said members with respect to each other.

9. A dispensing closure according to claim 8, wherein means are positioned within said body member for supporting said elements.

10. A dispensing closure according to claim 8, wherein said elements and said member on which they are formed are constituted integrally of a yieldable plastic material and a bendable hinge section connects said elements to the interior of the wall of said integral member.

11. A dispensing closure according to claim 8, wherein each of said elements has an outer side serving as a cam surface engageable by said means and has a pair of inner sides meeting at an angle, the sum of the angles of all of said elements being 360.

12. A dispensing closure according to claim 11, wherein said outer sides of said elements are arcuate.

13. A dispensing closure comprising a body member having a tubular wall adapted at one end thereof for insertion into a container outlet and having a plurality of elements hinged at circumferentially spaced points about the interior of its wall adjacent its other end, and a cap member rotatably attached to the last mentioned end of said body member and having a cover portion adjacent said elements formed with a central opening, said elements being constructed and arranged to cooperate with each other to effect closing and unclosing of said opening, said cover portion having a set of projections on the underside thereof for engaging each of said elements to effect operation thereof upon rotation of said cap member.

14. A dispensing closure according to claim 13, wherein said projections are positioned to effect operation of said elements to close said opening.

15. A dispensing closure according to claim 13, wherein said projections are positioned to engage said elements adjacent said body member wall to effect operation of said elements to unclose said opening.

16. A dispensing closure according to claim 13, wherein said cover portion has a second set of projections on the underside thereof for engaging each of said elements, one set of projections being positioned to effect closing of said opening and the other set of projections being positioned to retain said elements in opening unclosing position.

17. A dispensing closure according to claim 13, wherein a spider is mounted on the interior of said body member wall beneath said elements to slidably support the same.

18. A dispensing closure according to claim 17, wherein said spider has a central opening in alignment with said cap member opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,166,690 Kahn Jan. 4, 1916 1,934,016 Strehs Nov. 7, 1933 2,309,895 Griffith Feb. 2, I943 

